Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Intermittent (of rain): Describes rain that falls on and off, stopping and starting repeatedly, without completely clearing up.
   • Drizzly / Sporadic: Characterizes light rain that is not continuous but occurs in scattered, occasional bursts.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Trời sập sùi suốt buổi chiều. (The weather was intermittently rainy all afternoon.)
  • Mưa sập sùi khiến đường phố ẩm ướt. (The intermittent rain made the streets damp.)

Advanced Usage

• Used almost exclusively to describe the nature of rain or rainy weather. It is not typically used for other types of intermittent actions or objects.

Variants and Related Words

• Lâm râm (adj): describes a very fine, light, and continuous drizzle.
• Mưa ngắt quãng (phrase): rain that is discontinuous, a more literal synonym.

Synonyms

• Intermittent: occurring at irregular intervals.
• Sporadic: occurring occasionally or in scattered instances.
• Off-and-on: stopping and starting repeatedly.

Related Idioms

• Mưa lúc rả rích, lúc sập sùi: Describes rain that is sometimes a steady patter and sometimes intermittent.
  • Thời tiết mùa này hay mưa lúc rả rích, lúc sập sùi. (The weather this season often has rain that is sometimes steady, sometimes intermittent.)

1. Intermittent
   • Mưa sập sùi
     It rains intermittently